General Comments Markets opened much stronger than expected Sunday afternoon and continued to maintain that strength through the night and into today. Corn was trading 20 higher and soybeans were 35-40 higher with little variation throughout the session. Wheat wasn't nearly as strong as corn and soybeans. It was all about weather. Weekend rains again were not as widespread or as heavy as some had expected. There were a few areas that did get decent rain, but those areas were very few and far between. Less than 20 percent of the Corn Belt received any precipitation. Extended weather forecasts have again turned warmer and drier. Temperatures will not be as hot as they were during the past two weeks, but they will still be above normal. T...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to $141/head last week, down $55 from the prior week as fed cattle prices strengthened while the Choice cutout remained nearly unchanged. The cutout held near $373/cwt while fed cattle prices climbed $4/cwt to $224/cwt, narrowing processor profits. Despite the d...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.